Get Ready To Vegan Barbecue – Beyond Sausage Is Finally Arriving At Costco

Across the country, the nation is gearing up to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend with parades, fireworks, and barbecues. This year, Beyond Meat is looking to get a bigger piece of that BBQ action — without putting any meat on the table. Beyond Sausage is coming to Costco just in time for the holiday. Perceptive vegans may have spotted some Beyond Meat products in stores already, but more options equal more opportunities. 

According to Beyond Meat, the new line-up at the beloved big box retailer will include Beyond's new sausage variety: the Hot Italian. Beyond's burgers are already a familiar item in Costco's warehouses, but special savings are available until July 23. Pre-formed and packaged in 10-packs, the burgers are available in all Costcos across the country. The sausages, however, are sold in 12-packs and will only be found in select warehouses in Southern California, Las Vegas, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Hawaii (as if you needed another reason to check out Hawaiian Costcos), so you will need to be in the right state if you hope to get your hot hands on them.

Not only limited to being popular meat alternatives, Beyond Meat's burgers and sausages are also high in protein (20 grams and 16 grams, respectively) and have less saturated fat than their animal-based counterparts. The sausages may be new at Costco, but Beyond Meat was founded in 2009 and now carries a whole line of vegan alternatives, such as plant-based ground beef burgers, meatballs, sausages, chicken patties, and chicken tenders. 

The competition has gotten increasingly fierce for the growing vegan market as interest in plant-based options has increased in popularity over the past decade. Impossible Foods, founded by Dr. Pat Brown in 2011, has emerged as a strong contender in this bloodless arena. While there is a difference between Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, the two companies have much in common. The rivalry to produce the best meatless burger is particularly intense, as many have thrown their hats in the ring to see who can provide the highest level of guilt-free satisfaction. In an interview with The New York Times, Beyond Meat's founder, Ethan Brown, referred to "altruistic hedonism" as being at the core of the food experience he's after.

Beyond Meat is one of the best-known producers of meat substitute products, having gotten its start early in the meatless game. The company launched its first product — chicken strips — in 2012 and, in May 2019, was the first vegan meat company to go public. Since then, it has continued experimenting with an increasing assortment of plant-based products. The Hot Italian Sausage is its latest development as the company strives to keep the juices flowing and the grills burning. 

Costco customers are about to get an excellent opportunity to taste the fruits of that labor and judge whether Beyond can deliver on its hedonistic promise. Cue the fireworks!